Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1887-05-21
THE HERMIT KINGDOM.
ROYAlTY'S LIFE IN THE CAPITAL
OF COREA.

RoYALTY's LIFE IN THE CAPITAL
OF coREA.
How tho King 10 Guarded-A strang,
MIXTURE Of Barbarism and Civilization
Description Of tho Palace and Govern
ment Buildings.
1t is not so easy to get glimpse OF royalty
In Corea as it is in countries partaking mors
OF the western nature of civilization The
KING does not occupy the place Of God tt
the Coreans exactly, as some have stated, but
he does act as very exalted high priest, and
in that capacity he sacrifices to heaven TO,
bis people in times of distress, as during the
recent cholera epidemic He is never seen by
his common subjects excepting on certain
occasions, when he goes to worship at the
shrines of his ancestors. On these occasions
the streets are cleared of the merchant booths
and all other distractions; fresh yellow clay
is spread over the road, mounted and foot
police keep the crowd in order. and the king
passes by in a procession of near a mile in
length. The procession is one of the most
gorgeous spectacles to be seen in the east, and
as modern civilization will be apt soon to
modify it, it is certainly well worth seeing.
Already foreign uniforms and guns are be-
ginning to rob it of some of its barbaric
splendor.
The king rides in a gorgeous red throne
supported on the shoulders of thirty-two
men. The carriage is open and his majesty
can be seen by all. Usually the crown prince
follows in a similar chair, and very rarely
the queen is borne along in closed chair 50
arranged that she can see out but cannot be
seen herself. The kings conveyance is pre-
ceded by large bodies of soldiers in brass he'll
NETS and red armor made of thickly padded
cloth covered with metal plates. Bodies of
these gorgeous warriors are broken by COM
panies of officers from the palace and
eunuchs. These men wear the peculiar court
dress, which is dark green robe of gauge or
figured silk, according to rank and season,
with an embroidered shield upon the hack
and breast, denoting, by the figures worked
upon it, the rank OF the wearer These low-
ing garments are held in place by large
belt of fancily carved wood, tortoise shell or
gold set with costly stones. The hat is Pc
culiar and hard to describe. It is like a trun-
Gated cone with a piece taken out OF the
front, and two wings projecting from the
back. 1t is woven of silk and horse hair and
is quite open and light
A PICTURESQE SIGHT.
The kings conveyance in this procession is
Immediately surrounded by the modern SOL
diers with foreign rifles, and clothes made
something after the foreign cut, Of purple,
dark red and black calico. They usually have
numbers of flaming red banners and present
most picturesque sight, while another body of
men make deafening noise by shaking poles
small cymbals. Following the
royal conveyances are other bands Of ancient
and modern military officers and other repre.
senatlves from the palace, with occasionally
a gatling gun. The ancient soldiers have
their own bands, which pour out the weird
mOnotOnous music from flutes, violins and
hourglass shaped drums. But this music
seems rather subdued in the presence of the
foreign trumpet which is most faithfully
footed" by the representatives of the modern
battalion. At first it seems pleasant to hear
our own hngle calls in such q strange place,
but as we try to catch the notes of tho strange
music beyond, the shrill, unsupported and
constant footing" of our own bugle seems in
solent, and We feel compassion for the old
time strains that are surely stepping aside for
this modern upstart.
Seoul, the capital Of Corea, is really looked
upon as part of the kings household. The
palace Enclosures occupy about one-fourth of
the whole space within the ten miles or more
OF city wall, and the streets leading to the
TWO palaces are fine, broad, well rounded
avenues. There are five main gates to the
palace inclosure which is made by high,
thick, well-built stone some twenty feet high
by eight feet in thickness The corners of
The wall project, and are built of huge
masses of finely cut stole and are surlnounted
oy pagoda shaped towers for the guard. The
main gate faces the south and opens upon the
broad street leading into the city and lined
on either side by the extensive compounds
the various department Offices.
RAISING this gate one enters court of some
TX or eight acres. wide stone pavement
eads to similar though somewhat smaller
gate on the opposite side, passing which an
'ther court Is entered surrounded by build
ngs and traversed diagonally by a little
tream with stone emEankments and a stone
bridge spanning it. Near the bridge stone
water animals are carved on huge blocks of
tone SO that they seem just ready to pounce
lpon some prey in the water. The stone
ailing of the bridge is supported by blocks
II stone carved to represent budding lotus |
lower.
THE KINGS THRONE.
Passing through another gate, similar to |
he two previous ones, and we are in a large |
ourt paved all over with stone. A very
arge building arises at the further side from |
base of stone some 6 feet high, and sur
counted by balustrade OF stone supported |
y stone pillars carved to represent sheaves
grain. This building is the reception hall
I'd contains a finely carved throne. The
oof is supported by masts some 50 feet
4 length The ceiling is made of panels,
pom which are painted lotus and other flow
rs; in the centre space is let into the cell
lg, containing the royal dragon in gilt. The
eps leading up 70 the platform around this
1ifice have stone dragon in the middle, SO
lat no one may approach the king in q
raight line. The fine painting under the
cry extensive caves is protected from birds
huge wire netting that looks like gigan-
c spider web.
10 the left of the reception hall is the sum-
er pavilion, finely carved and painted
ructure of two stories, situated in a large
n0 VI AOouS AO"c1S. liz lake OF DOnO Is |
by stone embankment and q
all There are two islands rising out of the
ater and supporting some ornamental
varf pines. The pavilion, some 20 feet by
}, is reached by stone bridges made like the
'idge before described, over the stream
hich drains this pond. The second story is
pported on 40 stone pillars set at intervals
feet. These pillars are all of one piece,
about 10 feet long and 18 inches
the base, tapering to about foot at the
p. Banquets are given in the upper room
this beautiful house. Back Of these build.
IS are the houses where the business of tho
lace is conducted and where the royal fam
sometimes live.
FROM PISA TO NICE.
Journey Through the Earthquake
Shaken District Of Italy.
That part Of the Italian coast which was
,entIy shaken up by the earthquake is his
.ical Posting on the Corinche road used